Connecting-bar.



F. SCHAEFER.

CONNECTlNG BAR' APPLlcATloN man DEc.18.V1916 1,263,608. Y Patented Apll. 1918.

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FREDERIC SCHAEFER, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Apr. 23,1918.

Application filed December 18, 1916. Serial No. 137,618.

To all whom it may Concern:

Be Iit known that l, FREDERIC, SCHAEFER, a residentl of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have linvented a new and useful Improvement in Connecting-Bars, of Which the following is a speciicatlon This invention relates to pressed metal l connecting bars. It relates particularly to connecting bars `for use in connecting the brake levers of railway trucks, for use as push rods for brake cylinders, and for other similar purposes.

It is important in bars of this character to vhave them constructed so that they ossess a maximum strength for their Weig t, are reinforced in. all of `the usual weak points against bending or compressing strains, and further, are provided with extended bearings for pivot pins or other pins to which they may be connectedA so as to reinforce them against Wear `by said'plns. A bar of this general character .is described in my ce-pending application ISerial No. 7 6,185, tiled February 4, 1916. 4The present application is a continuation in part of said prior application.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved connecting bar structure having extended bearing surfaces for the pivot pinswhich surfaces are formed Withoutrequiring excess thickness of metal in the entire body of the bar.

Other objects and advantages of thev invention will appear from the following Specification. p

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The views of the drawings are as follows Figure 1 is a plan view of a connecting bar embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the connecting bar, showing oney end thereof in longitude,

nal cross section.

Fig, 3 is an enlarged :longitudinal section on the line of FigfQf. l

Fig. 4: is a vertical cross section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.. Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 'of Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 6 (S of Fig. 2, showing a modification in the eros.. sectional area of the bar.

l The connecting bar comprises a body pow tion 1 formed of pressed metal, preferably steel, having a cross section which may be of any one of the shapes shown in my prior gpication Serial No. 849,550, filed July ,7;

Each end of the bar is provided with a longitudinal slot 2 Whichforms pairs of oppositely disposed ears 3 Whose outer ends are rounded, as indicatedatfet.' The ears 3 of each pair are substantially parallel with each other, .the ears at opposite ends of the bar being inline with each other. The pairs of ears at opposite ends of the bar are provided With one or more sets of oppositely disposed sets of pin eyes 5for receiving pivot pins for connecting the bar to other parts."

It is important in structures of this kind that a relatively .large bearing surface be provided for each of the pins so that the 'edges of the holes Will not be readily Worn by the pins and so thatthey will withstand the stresses to which they are subjected. If

the thickness of the metal is increased to provide the extra bearing surface, suchmaterial must be carried through the entire body of the bar and the Weight of the bar as well as its cest is increased. Further, if the holes kor eyes are formed by' drawing the metal in one direction the edge of the. opening at which the drawing die enters willbe rounded and the actual bearing surface of the pin eye willfnot meet the requirements of practice without usingrnetal of greater I thickness than required for vother parts of the bar.

In order to provide an. extended bearing surface `of the required Width Without in-- `creasing the .thickness of the'metal employed,

the metal in the vicinity. vof the openings isl subjected to a die forming or forging operation. In forming the holes 5 the metalis extruded, forming annular projections or I prtuberances G on'the outside surfaces of the ears. '.lheyinner sides of the ears are forged or die pressed, as yat 7, which reduces -the thickness -of the metal' and forces it outwardly, forming annular rings or pro tuberances 8 on the inside of the ears. The pin eyes thus have protuberances extending in both directions from the surface of the ears, these protuberances coperating to produce an extended bearing. surface of necessary width to meet thefrequirenients of practice. 'lhc thinning of the metall in the vicin- Vity of the eyes does not decrease the strength of the ears slow that required since there is I opposite ends to form the ears 3. Either an ample factor of safety in the metal at this oint, the greater strains 0n the bar being eveloped at other points. n

It will be noted that the necessary bearing surface for the pin eyes is thus produced without requiring that the connecting bar be made out of heavier metal and Without decreasing the Strength of the bar below that required. The pin eyes and both sets of protuberances may be formed in a single die pressing operation, thus makingthe process very simple and inexpensive,

In order to reinforce the bar against bending strains, especially sidewise or in' a direction parallel to the aXis of the eyes 5 and to further reinforce the bar at the juno tion of the ears 3 with the body portion l, the metal of the side portions of said bai` opposite the roots of the slots 2' is displaced laterally into arch form, as indicatedat 10. The bulge or extension thus formed projects for a short distance lengthwise of the bar to either side of the root of the slot 2 and not only increases the beam e'ect andreinforces the bar against compression stresses but also reinforces it against bending y* stresses by changing the position of the neutral axis.

The connecting bar described is prefera bly made from a flat sheet or plate of forged orwrought steel which is first slitt'ed at its "\simultaneously with the slitting operation or before or after the same, each blank is subjected to a forgingl or die pressing operation to punch eye-holes 5 and forge the metal of the ears around said holes to reduce its thickness at the points 7 and form the protuberances 6 and 8 to produce the bearing surface for the pivot pins and reinforce the bar against wear thereby. The

. same pressing or forging operation forms the protuberances 10 opposite the roots of 'the slots 2. The blank is then bent or folded on its central longitudinal line to the proper hollow cross sectional shape, such as shown, for example, in Figs; 4: and 5, but which shape may be any of the forms shown'in my prior application referred to.

`ducea smooth'bearing surface for the pivot pins. y

Fig. 6 shows a cross section of a modified "form of bar adjacent one of the pin eyes in the ears, the section being taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2. In this form the exterior of thebar is depressed, as at 9, in the die Y`pressing 'or forging operation so that the ear at this central point is considerably thinnerthan at its'V edges, the metal being forced toward the edges in the die pressing operation. This provides a structure in which the metal is increased in thickness at the points Where it does the most good in resisting strains. The' protuberances for forming the bearing surfaces for the pin eyes are formed in the same way as hereinbefore`described.

The bar is 'simple and can be' readily manufactured ata low cost. It has a maximum strength for its weight vbecause itis reinforced at all of the usual weak points against bending or compressive strains, and especially against wear by the pivot pins. It meets the exacting requirements which are demanded for bars of this character and will not'fail under the severe conditions encountered in railroad service.

It is to be understood that the structure shown is for purposes 4of illustration only and that other str ctures maybe devised which come within he spirit and scope of 85 the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A connecting bar, comprising a onepicce hollow body slotted at its end to form a pair ofoppositely disposed ears, said ears being provided with oppositely disposed pin eyes, and .protuberances around said eyes eX-. tending in both directions from the surface of the ears toV form extended bearing surfaces, 'the metal adjacent said protuberances being thinner than the body of the ears.

.Aponnecting bar, comprising a one-` piee body having a pair of oppositely disposed ears at its end, said ears being provided with oppositely disposed pin eyes and 100 ith forged protuberances around= said eyes extending in both directions from the body of the ears to increase the bearing surface.l

3. A connecting bar, comprising a onepiece body having a pair of oppositely disposed ears at its end, said ears being provided with oppositely disposed pin eyes and with forged protuberances around said eyes extending in both directions from the body of the ears and in one direction beyond the surface of the bar to thereby provide an increased bearing surface about the eyes.

4. A connecting bar, comprising a onepiece body having a pair of oppositely disposed ears at its end, saidv ears being provided with oppositely disposed pin eyes, forged protuberances around said eyes projecting in both directions from the body of the ears and in on'e direction beyond the 120 surface of the ears to thereby provide an increased bearing surface about the eyes, the metal of said ears bein-g thinner near the central portions of the ears than at the edges. I

5. A forged connecting bar, comprising a one-piece hollow body having a pair of oppositely disposed ears at its end, said ears being forged to reduce the thickness of the metal at certain points and provide oppo- 10 posed pin eyes with protuberances around the eyes extending in both directions from the body of the ears and in one direction beyond the surface ofthe bar to thereby Vincrease'nthe bearing surface around the eyes.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 1 5 set my hand. x

FREDERIC 'SCHAEFER Witnesses:

GLENN H. LERESOHE,

A. E. JOHNSON. 

